Tuesday, April 15, 2008
New York Yankees(7-7) at Tampa Bay Rays(6-7), 7:10pm **LiveBlog/Chatter**
The road trip from Hell continues.
NYY: Andy Pettitte (36, LHP, 1-1, 3.09) vs. TBR: Edwin Jackson (24, RHP, 2-0, 0.64)
Edwin Jackson for Cy Young!
Lineups…
NY Yankees
Damon, lf
Jeter, ss
Abreu, rf
Rodriguez, 3b
Matsui, dh
Giambi, 1b
Cano, 2b
Cabrera, cf
Moeller, c
Tampa Bay
Bartlett, ss
The Speedy Carl Crawford, lf
Pena, 1b
Upton, cf
Longoria, 3b
Gomes, dh
DeFelice, c
Ruggiano, rf
Johnson, 2b
Did you know?
- The Yankees are undefeated when Moeller starts
- Andy Pettitte got lit up like a Christmas tree the first time he faced the Rays (5 runs and 8 hits in 5 innings)
- Sub out Moeller for Posada and you’ve got your full desired starting lineup playing
- This is only a two game series, then it’s home for two games against the Red Sox before ten straight on the road
I may or may not be able to liveblog this one. Go Yanks.
Top of the first
I’m throwing caution to the wind and trying to liveblog this one, at least until the Yankees start losing badly.
Damon starts thing off nicely by fanning. Jeter follows up by working a full count walk. Abreu decides the Yankees don’t need to score and hits into a double play. Great start boys.
Bottom of the first
Pettitte will go to work against Bartlett, who flies out to Abreu. The Speedy Carl Crawford singles to LF. Carlos Pena follows up with another single and TSCC advances to third. This is like Old School Pettitte who couldn’t get lefties out. Fun times.
B.J. Upton pops up a cutter to Robinson Can’t O and there’s two outs with runners on the corners and Evan Longoria up. Longoria’s got a bit of a Joker Joe Randa smile thing going. High fastball gets Longoria swinging. Nice recovery by Pettitte against Upton and Longoria.
Top of the second
It’d be sweet if yesterday was the start of one Alex Rodriguez’s hot streaks, wouldn’t it?
Your first inning pitch counts: Jackson: 12 pitches, 7 strikes. Pettitte: 12 pitches, 8 strikes
Rodriguez grounds out on a 97 mph fastball. It would really suck for the AL East if Edwin Jackson’s finally figured things out.
Hideki Matsui gets ahead 2-1 then POW! Godzilla! He HRs to CF and the Yankees are up 1-0.
Giambi hits one right into the shift in short RF and there’s two down. Don’t worry Jason, tomorrow you may get a shot at Mike Timlin again.
Can’t O steps up. He’s wearing number 42 today in honor of Jackie Robinson, the man he was named after. Cano takes an 0-2 fastball that looked like a strike. God bless the automatic 0-2 and 3-0 calls. Jackson is throwng hard, 95-97mph. Robinson works a nine pitch walk. That’s good to see.
Melky will try to continue his solid start to the season with two down and Cano on first. I’d be ecstatic if Melky can put up an .800 OPS this year. Melky rips one foul but then goes down looking on a slider down to end the inning.
Bottom of the second
Pettitte goes after Gomes to start the second. Fastball is taken for a strike then a cutter is fouled. On 0-2 Gomes grounds to Rodriguez at third for the first out.
DeFelice stands in now. Much like the Yanks, the Rays are on their third string catcher, at least tonight. So of course he singles.
Ruggiano follows up with another single.
Elliot Johnson, the man who is reponsible for injuring Francisco Cervelli stands in now. I wouldn’t be heartbroken if he gets buzzed here. I don’t get my wish as he singles on the first pitch he sees and again the Rays have a threat going and one out.
The high-wire act continues as Pettitte gets a double play to get out of the inning. Phew.
Top of the third
The incomparable Chad Moeller bats now and quickly falls behind 0-2. He takes a ball then strikes out swinging. Good AB by Moeller, seeing 4 pitches and all.
Johnny F’ing Damon pops up the first pitch and there are two outs. Damon is really starting to get under my skin…
Jeter at least uses two pitches to make his out. 7 freaking pitches? Weak.
Bottom of the third
Hey Andy, this whole let a bunch of guys on and get a DP style of pitching isn’t very enjoyable to watch. How about a 1-2-3?
The TSCC grounds out to Cano. One down.
Nice curve by Pettitte to get ahead of Pena 0-1. A pair of changeups and a fastball all miss and now it’s 3-1. Cripple pitch coming up… Another fastball misses and Pena walks. It’s better than a HR.
Upton flies out to Abreu and there are two outs. Looked scary off the bat but it was about 20 feet shy of the warning track.
Longoria up now and the count goes full. Gameday has Pettitte topping out around 90 which is fine for him I think. Longoria draws a walk. He’s going to be a real PITA, isn’t he?
Here’s Gomes, who’s a much better hitter than tackler. Gomes rolls one up the middle and Pettitte can’t get it and it rolls all the way into CF for an RBI single and we’re knotted up at 1.
Mike DeFelice singles again, and drives in another run and the Rays now lead 2-1. That’s 7 hits in 2.2 innings and that just ain’t cool.
Pettitte recovers to fan Ruggiano and end the inning. My TV is being taken over for a bit so updates may be sporadic.
Pitch counts through 3:
Jackson: 44 pitches, 27 strikes
Pettitte: 49 pitches, 33 strikes.
*** SG out ***
*** Keith in ***
The 4th through 6th innings
Abreu gets a leadoff walk, A-Rod sends him to third with a double, and Gojira grounds out to first, scoring Abreu to tie the game at 2, A-Rod to third. Then with Giambi batting, Jackson throws a wild pitch to score A-Rod to put the Yanks ahead 3-2. Giambi and Can’t-o both ground out to Peña and that ends it.
Pettitte gets a 1-2-3—striking out Jackson, getting Bartlett to ground out to third, and Crawford to fly out to Melky.
Melky strikes out and Moeller flies out, but then Damon walks and steals second, El Capitan singles him home to make it 4-2, and Jeter goes to second on the throw. Abreu singles Jetes home to make it 5-2, and then Abreu’s caught stealing.
Pettitte gets another 1-2-3 by getting Peña to line out to Abreu, Upton to ground out to A-Rod, and Longoria stirkes out.
Jackson out, J.P. “Thurston” Howell in. He strikes out A-Rod, gives up a single to Gojira, strikes out Giambi, and Can’t-o grounds out to first again.
Pettitte does not get a 1-2-3 here. Gomes singles, DiFelice pops out, Ruggiano walks, Johnson hits into a force that sends Gomes to third, Bartlett gets an infield single to drive in Gomes to cut the Yankee lead to 5-3, and Crawford grounds out to second to end it.
Top of the 7th
Melky grounds out to Longira. Moeller walks. So does Sexy Calves, sending Chad to second. (Who’s named “Chad” anymore, beyond preppies who have homes on Sag Harbor?
El Capitan loads ‘em up with a single to center. Abreu pops out to Upton too shallow to score anyone, particularly when the runner on third is a catcher. A-Rod strikes out to end it. For that, he should be beaten with his MVP trophy. (Is it a trophy? I don’t even know. A certificate? A plaque? A purple heart? What?)
Bottom of the 7th
Pettitte comes out to start the seventh. It’s really weird typing that about a Yankee starter in April. Mind you, it’s a good weird…..
Peña strikes out swinging. Upton flies out to Abreu. Longoria swings at the first pitch and also flies out to Abreu.
Top of the 8th
Thurston out, Trever Miller in.
Gojira grounds out right to Miller. Giambi clogs the bases with a walk. Can’t-o flies out to Crawford. Maybe we should just pinch-hit him from now on…..
Miller out (that was quick), Gary Glover in.
Melky socks a single to right on a 2-0 pitch. Chad stays in to hit, and he walks, to load the bases for Mr. Karaoke.
Y’know, the first week, these looked like the new! improved!
Rays, ones who’d had a bunch of good drafts and had some fine young talent and might vault past the stuck-in-neutral O’s and Jays to challenge the Yanks and Sawx. This week, though, they’re looking like the good ol’ Deviled Eggs, walking the third-string catcher to load the bases…..
Sexy Calves works the count full, then flies out to center to end it. Sigh. I was hoping for some insurance runs to Farnsworth-proof the game.
Bottom of the 8th
Pettitte out, FARNSWORTHICIDE!!!! in.
Gomes pops out to Jeter.
Wow.
He retired the first batter.
In other news, the world tilted off its axis….
DiFelice gets a shot up the middle, but Cano backhands it and throws him out. Nice play by the kid.
Hinske pinch hits for Ruggiano, who rewards Joe Maddon’s confidence in his hitting ability by striking out on four pitches.
A 1-2-3 for Kyle Farnsworth. Enjoy that sentence, I somehow doubt I’ll be typing it too terribly often.
Top of the 9th
Hinske stays in and plays right field.
El Capitan leads off with a hit up the middle. Abreu works the count full, then walks, sending Cap’n Jetes to second. A-Rod also works the count full, but he just pops out to second.
Sterling and Waldman are carrying on and on about how awful it is that the Yankees have left so many runners on base and passed up opportunities and a bunch of other things, and I had to remind myself that the Yankees are fucking winning the game! If they were down a run, I could see harping on this, but Jesus….
Gojira flies out to Hinske. Giambi grounds out to end it.
Bottom of the 9th
Say your prayers little one
Don’t forget, my son
To include everyoneTuck you in, warm within
Keep you free from sin
Till the sandman he comesSleep with one eye open
Gripping your pillow tightExit light
Enter night
Take my hand
Off to never never land
Farnsworth out, Mo in.
Johnson strikes out looking. That’s one.
Bartlett gets an infield hit in the hole between Jeter and Rodriguez. However, The Speedy Carl Crawford flies out to left. That’s two.
Just as I was about to type how cool it is to have Mo facing Peña, one of the Rays’ power threats, with the game on the line, Peña swings at the first pitch and grounds out to end the game. That’s three.
Hey look! We’re a game over .500! Woot!
Goodnight, everybody!
*** Keith out ***
Comments
Well, three of those 5 runs came with one out in the fifth on a bomb by Gomes, so hopefully Pettitte can keep it in the park tonight.
Gotta have Faith baby…!
SG, perhaps you should stay away from any and all forms of liveblogging for a while considering what happened the last time you tried.
Yeah, that’s probably a good idea for now.
Screw superstitions! If Yankees cannot win a game because SG is liveblogging, they don’t deserve to win a damn game anyway.
That is how I rationalize my evilness when I am convinced that it is my involvement with the Yankees that is somehow responsible for them losing important games.
Also, whatever happened to WOE? I thought we were doing this for a while. Are they no longer the worst offense in the league? I guess they never were considering the ineptitude shown by the Tigers initially.
Who is this Johnson character playing for Tampa Bay?
I endorse SG’s live-blogging and general participation as jinx-free.
It’s a movement, and all you got to do to join is to sing it when it comes around again on the gui-tar!
SG you should be fine, Moello’s prowess along with Jeter’s leadership should all but guarantee victory.
And they better. I don’t want to come back from practice to see the Yanks sucked it up again.
Elliot Johnson is the second baseman.
And yeah, put me down for “too early to consider SG liveblogging a jinx.” Subject to change, of course. 
Not for nothing, but Edwin Jackson WAS a pretty highly regarded prospect at one point.
If all SG’s caring about the team is a jinx, there’s something terribly wrong with the universe.
On the other hand, many of us have known that since the last inning of the 2001 WS.
i bet francisco cervelli is so fuckin pissed right now, he would probably be in moellers shoes if it werent for that spring training bs with johnson.
W.Pete, They didn’t play the last inning of that game. It was called on account of darkness, or something.
Frog, it was changed by evil beings from the land OTF calls ‘stupidville’ who got stole stuff from the future and altered the time-line.
In the real reality, NYY won that game in one of the greatest WS ever.
The word combination “real reality” sounds like something from a film paper. And makes me shiver.
And I’m off for practice, have fun.
“Real reality” is where average extreme outliers live.
MC now has a PO box there.
“I’m throwing caution to the wind and trying to liveblog this one, at least until the Yankees start losing badly.”
I thought that was the winning formula yesterday.
For some reason I just have this idea that Damon really shouldn’t be the leadoff man.
For some reason, Jeter’s AB reminds me of what a leadoff AB should be.
I wish there was just one game where Yankees don’t GIDP. I’m beginning to think it’s not possible.
Cano looks mad old school
Incidentally, for those of you who are interested, the movie I had in mind yesterday (the Farnsworth-related “Worse? How could it be WORSE?”) was Life of Brian.
Yankees should all wear high socks - Little League style.
Gameday has strikes 1&2 to Longoria off the plate on either side…
Gameday has strike 1 to A-Rod in the same off-the-plate location as strike 1 to Longoria…
Go go Godzilla!
sweet swing.
i want men on base dammit.
GO-JI-RA!!
Woulda been cool had he taken out an actual devil ray with that HR. Exact just a little revenge for Steve Irwin.
This is the year of the solo home run, I fear.
Is anyone else having audio problems on MLB.tv, i thought i’d use Giambi’s at-bat to post this, it’s as good as an advert break, nothing good ever happens.
Normally my reaction to things is “could use more cowbell.”
Amazingly, this is not currently true.
NICE at-bat by Cano!
He COULDN’T, after all,...
Yes, if anything, they could use less cowbell.
God! Again with the mascot! Please, concentrate on baseball.
too bad they couldn’t clear the pizzitcher’s spot.
I want a cowbell now.
31 - Yeah, I’m having audio issues too.
Anyone else having sound problems with the mlb.com feed?
when edwin jackson’s done with us we’ll all be wearing gold plated diapers.
31- I am on the same boat with mlb.tv audio. These guys suck hard.
Earlier on on MLB.tv I had the Rays broadcast, it’s just switched now to the YES coverage. Maybe its the sound problems I meantioned earlier. I’d prefer YES anyway (especially without Kay)
A-Rod has been playing an awesome third base this far. I hope this continues.
No Kay = instant win.
Yeah, good point, they did switch to the YES broadcast. Maybe now I don’t have to see that retarded mascot.
i dunno chris Flash Flaherty’s half assed home run call yesterday was fairly disturbing. i do enjoy when he reverts to his prepubescent lisp though.
Um. The goal is to get outs, Andy, not give up hits.
haha. that was a really intense 45 seconds of baseball.
mmmmm Jammmm
Crap. Pettitte’s pitches are all up.
So, he loads the bases and gets 2 outs in the space of 4 pitches. THAT’s hardcore.
Andy getting lucky. I hope he settles down.
chad moeller just totally out-mike difeliced mike difelice.
Who’s wearing 42 tonight?
Looks like WOE is back.
Who’s wearing 42 tonight?
I know Cano and Mo are. Not sure who else.
Not sure who else.
Jeter and Girardi.
Who’s wearing 42 tonight?
Jeter, Girardi and the entire Rays team. Mo wanted everyone on the Yankees to take part (per Nancy Newman) but only a few obliged. Always knew he had no pull in that clubhouse.
The Angels-Rangers game apparently was…everyone wore 42.
Instead of a bobblehead, we could have a spinning A-Rod.
Blech.
“only a few obliged”
Anybody know why?
Anybody know why?
Because the Yankees are the evil empire of corporate assholes with no concept of team spirit.
SG, step away from the liveblog and no one will get hurt.
Or tired of political correctitude?
Rays’ BABIP tonight: .500.
So frustrating.
SG, step away from the liveblog and no one will get hurt.
You may be in luck, my TV is being taken over for The Biggest Loser.
my TV is being taken over for The Biggest Loser.
Wow, I didn’t know Farnswhacker’s Yankeeography was out already.
So now is the real test of character; can Jeter leadership this team into scoring more runs? This leadershipping into outs ain’t much fun.
Wow, Pettitte has a 3.00 WHIP this game through three innings… and still has only thrown 49 pitches. That’s pretty insane.
You may be in luck, my TV is being taken over for The Biggest Loser.
So whipped.
There is only one solution: buy another TV.
Having ARod on my main fantasy teams makes watching the Yankees even more fun.
You may be in luck, my TV is being taken over for The Biggest Loser.
Admit it, you are scared of a 300 lb man named Bubba, being in Atlanta and all.
This is the Edwin Jackson we’re more used to seeing…
Is Bubba as scary on Prozac, though?
Is Bubba as scary on Prozac, though?
Gimme SG’s address and you’ll find out. 
That Biggest Loser/Farnsworth comment is still cracking me up.
With Farnsworth, everyone’s a loser.
With Farnsworth, everyone’s a loser.
Truer words have not been spoken.
The announcers need to really stop with this mad lib: [Yankee player] has more [offensive stat] against Tampa Bay then against any other team.
It would be a surprise if that was not the case.
Pettitte is the Brett Farve of baseball. Discuss.
I would really like an insurance run here.
With Farnsworth, everyone’s a loser.
The opposing team begs to differ.
that’s maybe the best run we’ve scored all year.
Leadership!
Thank you, Cap’n.
Tack-on runs are awesome.
Bob can follow good leaders.
2 out rally!
Time for an unclutch moonshot. C’mon Alex!
Fantastic! Finally some two out hits with RISP!
the fugg are you doin man?
Dear Abreu,
Don’t steal until ARod has two strikes. Especially against pitchers who probably suck.
Thanks,
Yankee Fans.
That’s… that’s not very nice, Mr. Abreu
Pettitte is the Brett Farve of baseball. Discuss.
But is he the Brett Favre of baseball?
Arod did have two strikes, wasn’t it?
Me write English good.
YM- He would have if Abreu wasn’t CS.
The pitch Abreu ran on was the 1-1 pitch.
Gotcha, irv and TVH. Grazie.
YM- I just pretend English is my second language.
Next entry: Yankees 5, Rays 3
Previous entry: Can't O
There are currently 70 visitors who are not logged in.
There was a record 241 simultaneous visitors on May 2, 2011 at 11:54:25 pm.
